Aztecs mascot vote begins

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State students and alumni groups on
Wednesday began three days of voting on the controversial
university mascot proposal. The university plans to announce the
results one week from today.

The voting will decide whether the proposed Aztec Warrior mascot
will be accepted as the university's official mascot. SDSU has been
without an official mascot for nearly three years after a student
group successfully challenged the "Monty Montezuma" mascot, saying
the mascot was offensive.

In November, university president Stephen Weber announced the
current vote, saying that the proposed mascot meets guidelines
established by the Aztec Identity Task Force as far as being a
historically accurate representative of the Aztec culture.

For the Aztec Warrior to be accepted, both the students and two
groups -- the SDSU Alumni Association and the Aztec Athletic
Foundation -- have to vote in favor of the mascot. Otherwise, the
university will continue to operate without an official mascot.

"If either the students or the alumni reject it, we'll consider
it a no vote," said university media relations manager Jason
Foster. "Basically, we want to make sure that whatever mascot we
have has both the backing of the students and the alumni and
athletic boosters."

A pro-mascot rally was held on campus Wednesday and proponents
and opponents verbally sparred, according to eyewitness accounts.
New Aztecs athletic director Mike Bohn was one of the speakers who
urged people to vote in favor of the proposed mascot.